Search - Bayo, Domingo, Kraus :: Viva La Zarzuela

A Zarzuela Sampler

Edward L. Killham | Washington, DC USA | 04/25/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Viva La Zarzzuela Indeed! Zarzuela is to Madrid as Operetta is to Vienna, but this much admired art form has captivated audiences around the world, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. For this CD, Maria Bayo and a spirited group of other musicians, including famed tenor Placido Domingo, have joined together in a sampling of Zarzuela's very varied repertoire. Individual tracks range from sparkling Fandangos and Mazurkas to rhapsodic Romanzas and an entergetic Habanera. Bayo's lyric presentation of the "Song of the Nightingale (Cancion del Ruisenor)" is particularly affecting but Domingo contributes mightily to the CD's overall impact, most notably in the "Romanza de Leandro". Composers represented include such distinuished artists as Vives, Sorozabal, Breton, Barbieri, and Torroba."